


Speech

by robron_til_the_end



Category: Emmerdale
Genre: M/M, Weddings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-22
Updated: 2017-02-22
Packaged: 2018-09-26 06:12:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,947
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9871007
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/robron_til_the_end/pseuds/robron_til_the_end
Summary: Since Robert clearly had a speech we didn't hear, I've written some of it. A lot of my musing thoughts really, with a few heartfelt words from Aaron too. Now two chapters, complete.





	1. Chapter 1

>  

“I’m going to keep this as short as I can get away with, because I think Aaron’ll kill me for making a speech in the first place.” Aaron winked at him, having drunk enough alcohol not to be completely embarrassed though he was a little red faced.

“I don’t think anyone actually thought me and Aaron would ever get here. Including me half the time.” Aaron smiled at that.

“You gave me another chance when I know the whole world was screaming at you not to. Loudly. Even me, because I knew I didn’t deserve a second chance, but you gave me one anyway.” There was a murmur around the pub, but no one interrupted him. “You’re special, and you can’t even see how much you mean to me most days. You let me be _me_ , and no one else ever has before.”

“We’re going to make a mess of it, I think we both know that.” Aaron smiled warmly, a smile that met his eyes. “But that’s part of us, it‘s how we are. There’s no one else I’d want to mess up my life with but you. Whatever happens we’ll get through it and make it out the other side.” Robert sighed, eye shining. “So... if you’d all like to raise your glasses to the man who makes me a better man, Aaron.” There was a general chorus of the same and Aaron smiled broadly, until Robert kissed him. Neither man even cared that they were still in front of their entire families, this moment felt too important.

“Speech!” the guests called as the kiss ended and Aaron frowned at them, though Robert‘s hands remained on his waist.

“Er, that’s not fair!” he said to his family. “I had this wedding sprung on me at the last minute, he had time to prepare!”

“You could say sommet,” Zak said, leaning against the bar for support, having drunk most of the bar dry.

“You don’t have to,” Robert said, whispering in his ear. “I know you don’t do this, feelings in front of your entire family, it’s fine.” Robert kissed his neck gently before parting from him, Aaron‘s eyes shining.

“I don’t really have much to say,” Aaron said to the room at large. “Thanks for coming to celebrate with us, but I guess the promise of a free bar was enough for most of my lot.” There was a general cheering and a clamouring of people at the bar, keeping Charity busy.

“And thank you,” Aaron said, voice lower, speaking to Robert only. “For doing all of this for me today, for trying to make everything right and perfect.” The good thing about the amount of alcohol flowing meant that most people had even forgotten Aaron was speaking. He kept his voice low, meaning that Aaron’s words were only being heard by Robert which gives him more confidence. Well, Robert and Chas, but his mum was being like a professional videographer today, not leaving Aaron alone. And Robert’s holding him, which helped too. He’d always found it easier to connect with Robert when they were touching.

“I knew you were there,” Aaron said, staring into his eyes. “This version of you, right from the start. It just took some time for the rest of the world to see it, for you to let them.” Robert smiled, almost sadly. “When we got back together and you suddenly had to cope with my little sister, you could have walked, but you didn’t. You stayed and made her a part of your family. Our family and that meant so much to me. It still does, how you can stay with all my baggage and never walk away from me.”

“Walking away from you was never an option. I never could leave you, haven’t the last two years taught you anything?” Aaron grinned, glad that they were almost hidden away in a corner.

“I’m gonna miss you so much,” Aaron said, Robert’s eyes filling with pain. “But I know… I do know that I have you waiting for me when I get home, and I trust that you will be here, waiting. And I trust you with Liv, though you‘re probably going to end up screaming at each other within twelve hours.”

“She’ll be safe,” Robert reassured.

“I know.” Aaron kissed him tenderly, and Robet felt moved in spite of himself. "I'm worried about a lot of things, but that doesn't make the list."

“Thank you for finding the words,” Robert whispered. Whether it was the emotion of the day, the alcohol or both, Robert’s eyes were shining. “I don’t want to be here any more. I don’t want to share you.” They kissed again, but this time it wasn’t light or reassuring, it was deep and passionate, needy.

“We need to go,” Aaron said, reading Robert’s body language instantly. They moved, ducking behind the bar to cat calls, but neither of them cared, laughing it off. They wanted privacy.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This turned into longer rambling than I anticipated! Ah well! Brief mentions of Gordon, but nothing worse than the show.

Robert went downstairs the next morning, leaving Aaron asleep in bed. He hadn’t slept, and he wasn’t going to until after the sentencing. He had a finite amount of time with Aaron, and he wasn’t going to waste it by sleeping. “Oh, you’re up,” Chas said from the kitchen table. “That’s early, isn’t it?”

“I’ve not slept,” Robert said.

“As happy as I am for the two of you, I didn’t need to know that,” Chas said screwing her nose up at him.

“No,” Robert said, moving around the kitchen to make a couple of bacon sandwiches. “Not like that, I just…” Robert sighed. “Every time I closed my eyes, I kept thinking he’s not going to be here this time tomorrow.” Chas smiled sadly at him.

“What are you doing?” she asked.

“Aaron thinks the only thing that works on a hangover is a bacon sandwich, so…”

“Move, let me do it,” Chas said as Robert was clearly making a mess in her kitchen. “Is he asleep?”

“Yeah,” Robert said, stepping aside and letting Chas take over. He wanted to be able to take care of his husband, to not feel so useless, but he knew that Aaron did prefer his mums bacon sandwiches. And he’d prolong the time he had to make everything right for as many minutes and seconds as possible.

“Did you mean it?” Chas asked.

“Mean what?”

“The things you said in your speech.”

“I meant a lot more,” Robert said. “It was all I thought I could get away with saying before Aaron got thoroughly embarrassed.”

“It was good to hear,” Chas said. “To know how much you care about him.”

“You hated me,” Robert reminded.

“Yeah,” Chas said. “Because Aaron loved you so much and you treated him like you didn’t even care.”

“I know,” Robert said hollowly. “I’m ashamed of how I was back then. I thought he could never give me what I needed, so it was just… meant to be a bit of fun at first. But I fell for him. I really did, right from the start. I lied about it to myself.” Robert swallowed uncomfortably. “I don’t… actually know how I’m going to cope without him here. Because he’s the one who keeps me sane, keeps me from doing the really stupid stuff that got everyone hating me in the first place.”

“You stopped lying to yourself,” Chas said.

“That’s not true,” Robert said. “Well it is, but not solely that. Remember when he was in France last year?” Chas nodded. “Without his “steadying influence” I found myself… hanging upside down by my ankle from a thirty foot tree.” 

Chas laughed joyfully. “Oh, please tell me someone’s got pictures.”

“No, but ask Vic. She… got me down.”

“I clearly have to promise Aaron I’ll keep an eye on you,” Chas said, passing him a coffee, which Robert almost devoured, needing the caffeine to keep him awake.

“When I’m thinking of doing something stupid, Aaron… he doesn’t say anything, but he gives me this look that tells me I’m being an idiot. I need that. He knows that… not so long ago, standing in front of the whole pub like that with him would have been impossible for me.”

“What do you mean?” Chas asked, frowning.

Robert hesitated. “My dad,” Robert said quietly, looking at the table and his empty coffee cup. He caught me kissing some boy when I was a teenager. He beat me for it. It took months for him to so much as look in my direction after that and it… made an impression.”

“I daresay it would,” Chas said dryly.

“I always knew it was something I had to hide,” Robert said. “So I did, I hid it. I’m not saying it excuses everything I did, I know I hurt Aaron so much and that’s all my own fault, but…” It suddenly dawned on Robert what he was actually saying and to who. “Oh God, I shouldn’t have said that. Forget I mentioned it. Vic and Diane don’t know, I’d like to keep it that way.”

“Aaron…”

“Of course,” Robert said, answering the unasked question. Chas smiled tightly and kept an eye on the bacon.

“Are you happy he’s with me?” Robert asked. “Honestly, not because you see I make him happy, but… oh I don’t know, forget I asked.”

“Yes, because you've changed. I told him you were never going to leave Chrissie,” Chas said. “Back then. Would you have? If Aaron hadn’t blown the affair, would you have left her anyway?”

“I don’t know,” Robert said honestly. “I do know if I had stayed with her, I wouldn’t have been capable of being as happy as I’ve been this last year.” Chas inclined her head. “It wouldn’t have lasted though. With her, I always was careful with what I said, not to reveal too much, because then she’d leave me. Chrissie never really knew me, and I certainly didn’t know her. With Aaron, he knows it all and loves me in spite of it. He is the love of my life. That’s it.”

“I get it now,” Chas said slowly. “A year ago, why he told you first. About Gordon.”

“That was one of the hardest days of my life,” Robert said. “Hearing that, those filthy things that man had done and at the same time I knew Aaron thought that I could never want him after that.” Robert sighed. “Though today’s probably going to be another tough one. What do you think realistically?” Chas just shrugged, flipping over the bacon in the pan. “Six months? Out in three on good behaviour? Twelve weeks, Aaron can handle twelve weeks.” He knew he sounded like he was talking himself into optimism but he couldn’t help it.

“Yeah, that sounds reasonable,” Chas said with a sigh. “Doesn’t mean he’s going to enjoy it.”

“I’m not either,” Robert said darkly. “God, saying goodbye to him is going to hurt.”

“It’s not like you’re never seeing him again,” Chas said. “You will visit.”

“And you think Aaron’s going to want to advertise the fact that he has a husband, do you?” Robert said realistically. “Look, I can’t think about that right now.”

“I got a lot of pictures last night,” Chas said, passing Robert her phone as she plated up their breakfasts. “Take a look.” Robert did, quickly scrolling through the images. There were some nice ones there, as well as some that Aaron would probably want to delete.

“Don’t show these to Aaron until you’ve printed them,” Robert said. “I don’t want them deleted.”

“Will do,” Chas said. “Go on, wake your husband up.” Robert grinned at her and went to do just that.

**Author's Note:**

> There will be a short second chapter of this with Robert and Chas, but I haven't had the time to write it yet!


End file.
